The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-11-12
JOHN WESLEY.

One June day, a hundred and eighty
four years ago when the earth was COW
cred with bloom and loveliness,a little boy
was born whose name is now household
word, "John Wesley" His father was
jealous clergyman, and his mother was
woman of rare ability and piety. She
taught John the entire alphabet on his
fifth birthday, and easy lessons in read
ing and spelling followed.
The Wesley family lived in house
built of timber, with matched roof One
night when they were sleeping soundly
some of MIR. Wesley's parishioners who
had been excited to anger by his bold,
honest rebukes, determined to revenge
themselves by setting fire to his house.
All the family escaped from the flames
but John His room grew light, and he
awoke suddenly. He thought it was
morning, and called to his nurse to take
him up. No answer came, and pulling
aside the bed curtains, he saw streaks of
light and fire coming from the room.
Greatly alarmed, he ran to the door
and opened it, and was met by fire and
binding smoke. frightened as he was,
he did not lose his presence Of mind. He
clambered upon chest which stood near
the window, and shouted to the people
below for help.
The stairs were half burned away, there
was no time to get a ladder. His pare nts
were in agony. Quickly one man was
lifted on the shoulders of another man,
and selling John pulled him from the
window. The instant the child's foot
touched the ground the roof fell inside.
"Let the home go by" burst from the
happy fathers lips. 81 am rich enough.
Let us give thanks to God, for he has
given me all my eight children" In the
midst OF the excited crowd, before the
burning house, Mr.. Wesley and his wife
knelt down upon the green grass, and pour
ed out their heartfelt thanks to God for
the preservation of their little household.
They felt that Johns life, so wonder
fully saved, must henceforth be conse-
Grated to holy purposes.
John left home, a half-grown boy, to
attend school. He went through regu-
lar course of study at Oxford, and was
afterward ordained to preach. He was
invited by the settlers of Georgia to be-
come missionary among them and the
Indians, and, accompanied by his broth
or Charles, he came to America, full of
fiery zeal, hoping to convert easily the red
men to the religion of Christ. Their ef
forts did not meet with the success they
anticipated. They returned to England
and began field preaching. Open-air SER
vices became rapidly popular, and band
of twenty thousand itinerant preachers
was organized, and Methodism became
powerful sect. The first Methodist church
was erected in Bristol, England, in 1882,
and the first Methodist meeting house
built in America was erected IN 1768.
John Wesley travelled on horseback
one hundred Thousand miles speaking in
churches and fields to great crowds of
people He endured great hsrdships and
trials; he met often with violent abuse,
and his life was at times in peril. He
felt that he had received orders from his
Lord, and SO nothing could check his
zeal and devotion to his Masters work.
He was lightweight years old when he
died. Under one of his portraits these
words are engraved: SIS not this brand
plucked from the burning ?"-Every
Other Sunday.